Cuban "Women in Jazz" Show Announced

(Prensa Latina) Havana, Cuba – A group of Cuban female musicians and singers will present at Havana’s La Zorra y el Cuervo club March 28 through 30 the show “Mujeres en el Jazz,” (Women in Jazz) to show their talent in a genre traditionally ruled by men. Cuban pianist Bellita (Lilia Exposito), host of the female jazz encounter along with her trio “Jazz Tumbata,” said in a press conference that “Mujeres en el Jazz” takes place every year, with the aim of promoting women’s music.

According to Exposito, much more is demanded of women jazz musicians than of their male counterparts, and only a few accept the genre in their repertoire, fearing being censored. For that reason, she said incentives are needed to motivate music students to take up jazz and that this little festival is a good way to do it. More than 20 artists that play international jazz classics and innovative pieces, meeting the new harmonic, sound and rhythmic tendencies will join the presentation. Lucia Huergo, famous Cuban saxophonist and composer, is among the jazz musicians to perform.

The performance of French singer Ofelia Latriglia -in Cuba to hear Cuban Latin Jazz and start collaboration between the Cuban Music Institute with French and Spanish musicians, was also programmed. Other participants announced are vocal groups Bahobad and Catarsis, the Esperanza quartet and the Afroamerica percussion band -conformed by three performers of batá drums, sacred instruments of Afro-Cuban religion, which greatly influence Latin Jazz, plus flutist Glenda Lopez and the Angeliza duet.